Six-run second propels Louisiana

Brignac's 16th CG of season, Cajuns first to win 10 in league

MOBILE, Ala. - The 19th-ranked Ragin’ Cajuns used some early offense to down South Alabama 10-2 on Sunday to complete a sweep of the three-game Sun Belt series.

A day after becoming the first Sun Belt team with 30 overall wins, they became the first with 10 league wins on the year.

Ashley Brignac (18-3) threw her 16th complete game of the season in a five-inning effort, striking out six while giving up two runs on five hits.

Louisiana

Cherry

At the plate, Brianna Cherry drove in five runs with two hits and a home run. Paige Cormier also hit a homer for the Cajuns and drove in two.

UL would jump out to an early lead thanks to one swing of Cherry’s bat in the top of the first inning. After Christi Orgeron singled and Sarah Draheim walked with one out, Cherry bombed her second home run of the season over the right centerfield fence to give the Cajuns a 3-0 lead.

The Jags would answer with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Jenny Stevens led off with a single and moved to third when Haley Richards doubled. Brittany Fowler then grounded out to plate Stevens--Fowler's team-leading 46th RBI--and an RBI double by Haley Hopkins scored Richards to get USA within one. South Alabama threatened to do more damage, loading the bases with just one out, but Brignac was able to come up with the final two outs of the inning to get out of the jam.

UL would break things open in the second inning with six runs, with Cherry finding herself in the middle of things again. Erikka Murphy and Katie Smith led off with bunt singles. Murphy then scored on a Nerissa Myers double to give the Cajuns a 4-2 lead.

After Orgeron walked to load the bases, a ground out by Draheim plated Smith and moved Orgeron and Myers to second and third. Cherry would then deliver a two-RBI single up the middle to give her five RBIs in two at-bats.

With Cherry standing on first base, Cormier delivered her second home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field that gave UL a 9-2 lead.

The Cajuns would add their tenth run in the fourth inning. Cormier led off with a single and moved to second when Jennifer Martin walked. The two moved into scoring position on a ground out and Cormier scored on an infield single by Smith.

After surrendering the two runs in the first, Brignac settled down and retired nine in a row before allowing a one-out single in the fourth inning that did not come around to score.

Hannah Campbell (12-5) went the distance for USA and was tagged with her second loss of the series after giving up 10 runs on 10 hits and four walks.